Collar-shaping machine.



E. M. MILLER.

COLLAR SHAPING MACHINE. vAPPLICAUQN FILED FEB. 11, 1916.

l 98,369. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A ttozneg mr www: uns w. nmmunm., wnswmamu. n c.

E. M. IVHLLER.Y

COLLAR SHAPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11,.,916-

3sHEETs-sHEET 2 (g1/wanton @Wi/,Madama w: Nouns png-ns co., mmm umu.. waa-mm.' 19N, n. c

Patented Sept. 12, 1916,

E. M. MILLER. COLLAR SHAPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-11,1916. v v

^ Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

fuventefz,

Gwwwww -Q-Q @11 2. r

attent/w13 mr muuu rsrnz ca.. rnomumo.. wumllcmn. n c.

CIK

EDWARD IVI. MILLER, OE SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA.

COLLAR-SHAPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed February 11, 1916. Serial No. 77,669.

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salisbury, in the county of Rowan and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collar-Shaping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for folding or shaping collars of the turn-down type after the seam along the fold line thereof has been moistened by the action of a dampener, and lparticularly to a machine designed to receive the collars in outspread or fiat condition as they leave the dampener and to fold and shape the same to finished condition for delivery.

The primary object of the invention is t provide a machine of the character described which will take the different sizes of collars of the character described and fold or shape the same, while heating the dampened seam to `ive the proper curvature or set to the collar, and which will operate in a positive, certain, rapid, reliable and efficient manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described which will positively bring the collars in p0- sition to be acted upon by the folding and heating means, so as to insure the presentation of the collars thereto in proper position and thus reduce to the minimum liability of injury to the collars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collar folding or shaping machine which is simple of constructio-n, comparatively inexpensive of production, and which is automatic in character, capable of being inexpensively operated and which is free from the defects of the machines commonly employed for the purpose.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a collar folding or shaping machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a Vertical longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the. line 4--4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is for bringing the collars in proper position on their feed motion.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the frame of the machine, which may be of suitable form, size and construction, and which includes in general a longitudinally extending platform portion 2 and a table 3 located at the forward end of said platform. The rear portion of the platform Q, is provided with sets of front and rear bearing standards 4 and 5, between which, at the opposite sides of the platform, extend vertical plates or walls 6 forming a trough-shape guideway in which is arranged an endless feed belt or apron 7. This feed belt or apron passes at its forward end around a roll 8 journaled in bearings on the standards 4 and at its rear end around a roll 9 journaled in bearings upon the standards 5, the ends of the shaft 1() carrying said roll 9 being adjustably mounted in slots 11 in the standards and engaged by set screws 12, whereby any slack which may exist in the belt may be taken up, as will be readily understood. The upper stretch of the belt 7 extends at a downward and forward angle and said belt is adapted to successively receive and convey the flattened collars 13 from a seam dampening machine, not shown, arranged adjacent, to its rear end, and to feed the same forward to a folding or shaping and ironing mechanism, the collars being' positively engaged and fed forward by means of a feed roll 14 disposed above the lower end of the belt and in alinement with the roll 8. The ends of the shaft carrying this roll 14 are vertically movable in slots 15 formed in the standards 4, and are backed by the springs 16, whereby the feed roll is permitted to have vertical movement to adapt itself to different thicknesses of collars and to positively engage collars of different thicknesses for a certain feed action.

On one end of the roll S is a gear pinion 17 meshing with a pinion 18 on the roll 14, and by means of said rolls are adapted to be turned in timed accord and without slipping, and drive motion is imparted to the roll 8 by means of a gear 19 fixed to the opposite end thereof and which receives motion from a pair of intermeshing gears 20 and 21 which drive the same from a primary drive gear 22 mounted upon a drive shaft 23 journaled upon the underside of the table 3.

a detail vertical section showing the pusher This shaft 23 carries a pulley 24 for receiving motion from any suitable source of power. The gear 22 is xed to the shaft 23 which also carries a beveled gear 25 meshing with another beveled gear 26 on the lower end of a vertical transmission shaft 27 journaled in and extending vertically through the table 3 and serving to drive the seam shaping disks, as hereinafter fully described.

The collars 13 deposited ugon and carried along by the upper working stretch of the feed belt 7 pass from said belt between the rollers 8 and 14 and thence into and through a trough-like folder .28 which is formed of sheet metal and comprises a base or bottom wall 29 and side walls 30, the latter gradually increasing in depth and converging` toward their forward ends, so that the inner and outer folds of the collar will be turned upward on opposite sides of and along the dampened edge seam 13 for the preliminary shaping action. Disposed longiti'ldinally and centrally at the forward or discharge end of the folder 28 is another former or shaper and guide comprising a horizontal, longitudinallyT extending arm or rod 31 arranged in close proximity to the bottom plate 29 and carried. at the lower' end of a vertical arm 82 extending to a suitable elevation above the walls 3() and attached to the table by an angular bracket 33 of a desired construction. The arm 31 of this device engages the portion 13 of the collar, as the collar is fed forward, and holds it down against the bottom plate 29 while the folds of the collar are being turned upwardly by the walls BO, the arm servingto guide and present the collar thus preliminarily shaped and folded for discharge from the contracted end of the folder 28 into the widened receiving` end 34 of a forming groove 34 formed in the upper surface of a plate or shaping` surface forming the top wall. of a steam chest or heater 3G carried by the table 3. rThis steam chest or heater is provided with a steam chamber 37 with which connect a pipe 38, having a controlling valve 38 therein, for thesupply of steam from a suitable source, and a pipe 39, having a controlling` valve 39 therein. for the discharge of the exhaust steam and the water of condensation, the steam admit-ted to said chamber serving to heat the plate to a proper temperature for a shaping or ironing action.

The folded collars entering the groove 34, which is substantially of semi-circular form, and has its inlet end 34, previously described, and its discharge end 34 opening through the front edge 40 of the plate travels around said groove with its folded seam portion 13 disposed in the base or vertex portion of said groove, which is approximately V-shaped, and is subjected in its course of travel to the action of a pair seam is heated and shaped or ironed and i thus given a final or permanent set. Between the two disks 41 and 4Q is a segmental guide strip or plate 43 which follows the line of curvature of the groove and against the opposite sides of which the walls or folds of the collar bear, thus insuring the travel of the collar around the groove and its final discharge into a suitable receptacle at the end 34a. The disks 4l and 42 revolve in a direction to .feed the collars forward in the groove and serve to shape or iron the seam by pressure simply against the inside of the seam, so that the collar is given its proper shape without pressure upon the walls of the folds adjacent to the seam and consequently without tearing or breaking any of the plies of the material of which the collar is made.

Each disk 41 and 42 is mounted upon one end of a horizontal shaft 44 which is journaled at its opposite end in a bearing 45 and provided with a beveled gear 4G meshing with a. beveled gear 47 on the vertical shaft 27 whereby the two disks are simultaneously driven at a corresponding speed. The bearing opening 4S in the bearing member flares from its center outward in both directions, whereby the shaft 44 is adapted for tilting motion therein, and at an intermediate point the shaft 44 is journaled in a floating bearing 49 which is movable vertically in a slotted guideway 50 in an npright guide post or bearing member 51, by means of which the disk is permitted to have vertical motion to adapt itself to the scams of collars of different thicknesses and so that it will bear with the proper and requisite pressure thereon. A spring is pro vided to yieldingly back and permit upward motion of the shaft and disk and this spring is interposed between the bearing member 4S) and a follower or abutment 53 adjustable by means of a set screw 54 to vary the tenA sion or resistance of the spring so as to adapt the disk to have a nicety of yielding action witlra proper seaming or ironing pressure,

hus avoiding liability of injury to the seam.

1n practice 1 preferably provide a device which will operate to press the collars feeding through the guideway 6 and upon the top of the bel-t 7 toward one side of said guideway, which is of a width exceeding to a Vdesired degree the width of the widest flatened collar. so that a collar of any width or depth will be properly adjusted along the line of feed to bring it into position to be centered with relation to the guide member 3l and coperating folding and guiding Walls 30. This device comprises a pusher plate or shoe 55 mounted upon one of the Walls 6 and inclined or set at an angle forwardly and toivard the opposite Wall 5, so that the edge of the collar facing the ivall G on Which said shoe is mounted will be engaged thereby and guided toward the opposite Wall 6 for a centering action. The shoe 55 is carried by a` stem 5G movable in a casing 57 supported by the contiguous ivall 6 and also connected With a guide member 5S movable in a guideway or opening 59 upon said Wall. A coiled spring GO is inclosed in a casing 57 between the inner Wall of said casing and a plunger or push button G1 on the stem 56 and serves to hold the pusher shoe retracted. The plunger or push button 6l is adapted to be successively engaged by substantially V-shaped cams or contact pieces 62 on the inner face of the gear 19 by means of which the shoe Will be alternately and intermittently reciprocated or pushed inward by each cam and then retracted by its spring, so that as the colla-rs feed forward on the belt they Will be engaged and adjusted or centered as previously described, thus preventing any collar from assuming an angular position or any other than a position in Which its seam travels in a plane parallel With the centering guide 31.

F rom the foregoing description, taken in connection With the drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my invention Will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a machine whereby seam dampened collars may be automatically folded into shape and simultaneously ironed along the seam line vvithout pressure upon the folds of the collar at any point contiguous to the seam line, and Without subjecting the collar to a violent rubbing motion during the shaping action; and hence that the collar may be shaped in an eflicient manner without liability of injury thereto. It ivill also be seen that the invention provides a machine Which vvill take collars of different sizes and thicknesses as they come from a seam dampener and fold each collar in an accurate manner and iron the .seanr Without subjecting the collar at any point to objectionable pressure, the advantages of Which Will be manifest.

I claim 1. In a machine for shaping seam dampened collars, means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, feeding means for cone veying the collar thereto, and intervening folding means, and means in the line of feed for centering the collar to properly present it to said folding means.

2. In a machine for shaping seam damp ened collars, means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, a feeder for feeding the collar longitudinally to the ironing means, a folding means for folding the collar preparatory to its presentation to said ironing means and means arranged to reciprocate transversely of the line of feed for centering the collar to properly present it to said folding means.

3. In a machine for shaping seam dampened collars, means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, a feeder for conveying the collar thereto, and folding means, and a reciprocating device in the line of feed for centering the collar with relation to said folding means.

il. In a machine for shaping seam dampn ened collars, the combination of means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, means for feeding the flattened collar longitudinally to the ironing means, a folding means having opposing converging Walls for folding the collar to properly present it to the ironing means, and means arranged in the line of feed for shifting the collar against one of said Walls to dispose the collar in a centered position for presentation to said folded means.

5. In a machine for shaping seam dampened collars, means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, a feeder for conveying the collar thereto, folding means, and a reciprocating pusher arranged in the line of feed for centering the collar with relation to said folding means, said pusher including a shoe set at an angle to the line of feed of the collar.

6. In a machine for shaping seam dampened collars, the combination of means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, a feeder for feeding the flattened collars longitudinally to the ironing means, an upright guide about which the collar is to be folded, and a folder adapted to engage and turn the folds of the collar against opposite surfaces of the guide, and means for centering the flattened collars to bring them in position in the motion of the feeder to be centered With relation to said folder and upright guide.

7. In a machine for shaping seam dampened collars, the combination of means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, a feeder for feeding the flattened collars longitudinally to the ironing means, a folder, a centering device arranged to reciprocate in a direction transversely of the line of feed to engage and center the collars With relation to the folder, a cam for periodically projecting said centering device, and a spring for retracting the same.

8. In a machine for shaping seam dampened collars, means for ironing the seam of the folded collar, means for feeding the collar in a flattened condition, means for folding the same for presentation to said ironing means, a reciprocating pusher movable transversely of the line of feed for centering the collar with relation to the folding means, a spring for retracting the pusher, and gearing for operating the parts, said gea-ring including a gear member provided with cam elements for periodically projecting said pusher.

i). In a machine of the character described, an ironing means, a feeder, a folding means between the ironing means and feeder, and a member movable transversely of the feeding means for positioning the collars.

10. In a machine of the character described, an ironing means, a feeder, a folding means between the ironing moans and feeder, a spring retracted pusher movable transversely of the feeder for positioning the collars, and means for intermittently projecting said pusher.

l1. In a machine of the character described, an ironing means comprising a heated plate having an ironing groove, a stationary guide member positioned above a portion of the groove, and rotary ironing and feeding disks disposed above the groove beyond the extremities of said guide member.

l2. In a machine of the character described, an ironing means comprising a heated plate provided with an arcuate groove, a drive shaft disposed at a point with which the groove is concentric, tilting shafts in gear with said drive shaft and eX- tending radially therefrom with relation to said groove and drive shaft, means yieldingly opposing a tilting motion of said shaft, feeding and ironing disks carried by said radial shafts and arranged above terminal portions of the groove, and a stationary guide member disposed abovevthe groove at a point between the disks.

13. In a machine of the character described, a shaping and ironing means for acting upon. a folded and seam dampened collar, comprising a heated ironing plate having an arcuate groove, a stationary shaping member disposed above a portion of said groove, and rotary disks beyond the extremities of said shaping member operating` to engage and press the seam of the collar into said groove and to move the collar around said shaping member.

14e. In a machine of the character described, means for shaping and ironing a folded seam dampened collar, comprising an ironing plate having an arcuate groove, means for h eating said plate, an arcuate stationa ry shaping member disposed above the groove and at a point between the extremities thereof, rotary wheels or disks arranged in advance and in rear of said shaping member to engage and press the seam of the collar down into the groove, means for driving said disks, and means for permitting a yielding tilting motion thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD M. MILLER.

Witnessesz J. W. IVEBB, H. E. MARTIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

